Complete Basie-hefti Studio Sessions 1951-1962 (2-cd Set)

Count Basie

Featuring: Count Basie (p, lead), with Clark Terry, Joe Neman, Thad Jones (tp); 'Booty' Wood, Al Grey (tb); Marshall Royal, Ernie Wilkins, Paul Quinichette, 'Lockjaw' Davis, Frank Wess, Frank Foster (reeds); Freddie Green (g); Eddie Jones (b), Sonny Payne (d)

REFERENCE: FSRCD 777_2
BAR CODE: 8427328607773 
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For years arrangers tried to capture the unique, free-wheeling spirit of the early Count Basie band. Eventually, the old spontaneity of the bristling heads surrendered to the creativity of young arrangers like Neal Hefti, who scored the entire performances included in this set. Hefti, who achieved success in commercial popular music and in jazz, was in jazz terms indelibly associated with the new Count Basie Orchestra of the 50s.

From 1951 to 1956, when Basie recorded mainly for the Clef and Verve labels, Hefti’s subtle compositions eased Basie’s band evolution into a new, rather stylized ensemble sound, with a solid, forceful rhythmic pulse. The Basie-Hefti collaboration reached its peak in the 1957-58 Roulette albums, “The Atomic Mr. Basie” and “Basie Plays Hefti,” with the band a precise yet vigorously expressive unit operating impressively on Hefti’s originals, replete with soloists who could speak with more authority than many of their big band counterparts. Never before had Basie’s band been better recorded, the thrill and full potential of its sound caught on tape. And when Basie returned to Verve in 1962, Hefti again provided him with a new set of typically varied arrangements for “On My Way & Shoutin’ Again,” the last album in a long-lived, memorable and thoroughly craftsmanlike collaboration.


Tracklisting:

CD 1

01. Little Pony 2:27
02. Sure Thing 3:00
03. Why Not? 3:28
04. Fancy Meetin’ You 3:00
05. Jive at Five 3:07
06. Every Tub 2:48
07. Plymouth Rock 3:41
08. Bubbles 3.58
09. Softly with Feeling 3:05
10. Cherry Point 3:18
11. You for Me 3:09
12. Two for the Blues 2:47
13. Ska-Di-Dle-Dee-Bee-Doo 3:34
14. Two Franks 3:14
15. Dinner with Friends 3:04
16. Lollypop 3:05
17. Flight of the Foo Birds 3:19
18. Double-O 2:43
19. Whirly-Bird 3:47
20. Duet 4:10
21. The Kid from Red Bank 2:38
22. Midnite Blue 4:25
23. Teddy the Toad 3:16
24. Fantail 2:53

All tracks composed and arranged by Neal Hefti, except #5 by Edison-Basie, and #6 by Durham-Basie

CD 2

01. Li’l Darlin’ 4:48
02. Splanky 3:33
03. After Supper 3:23
04. Pensive Miss 3:47
05. Bag a’ Bones 2:42
06. Has Anyone Here Seen Basie? 2:41
07. Scoot 2:28
08. Sloo Foot 3:06
09. Pony Tail 2:58
10. Late Date 3:16
11. A Little Tempo, Please 2:35
12. Count Down 2:45
13. It’s Awf’ly Nice to Be with You 3:32
14. Cute 3:10
15. Rose Bud 3:37
16. I’m Shouting Again 3:47
17. Ducky Bumps 3:32
18. The Long Night 3:41
19. Jump for Johnny 3:15
20. Ain’t That Right 2:48
21. Together Again 2:42
22. Shanghaied 3:30
23. Skippin’ with Skitch 3:59
24. Eee Dee 3:02

All tracks composed and arranged by Neal Hefti


Sources: 

CD 1

Track #1, from Columbia 39406, 78rpm
Track #2, from Mercury/Clef 8964, 78 pm
Tracks #3 & 4, from Mercury/Clef 8988, 78rpm
Track #5, from Clef EPC132, 45rpm
Track #6, from Mercury/Clef 8987, 78rpm
Track #7, from Clef EPC-229, 45rpm 
Track #8, from Clef EPC-220, 45rpm
Track #9, from Clef 89112, 78rpm
Track #10, from Clef 89120, 78rpm
Track #11, from Clef 89126, 78rpm
Track #12, from Clef 89131, 78rpm
Track #13, from Clef 89146, 78rpm
Track #14, from Clef EPC-364, 45rpm
Track #15, from the album “April in Paris” 
(Verve MGV 8012)
Track #16, from the album “Hall of Fame” 
(Verve MGV 8291)
Tracks #17-24, from the album 
“The Atomic Mr. Basie” (Roulette 52003)

CD 2

Tracks #1-3, from the album 
“The Atomic Mr. Basie” (Roulette 52003)
Tracks #4-14, from the album 
“Basie Plays Hefti” (Roulette 52011) 
Tracks #15-24, from the album 
“On My Way & Shoutin’ Again” (Verve V6/8511)

Note: Although some discographies mention that “The Late, Late Show” (recorded October 22, 1957) was composed and arranged by Neal Hefti, it was actually written by Murray Berlin and Roy Alfred, and there is no evidence that Hefti was the arranger.



Personnel on CD 1:

Track 1: 
Al Porcino, Lamar Wright, Clark Terry, Bob Mitchell, trumpets; Mitchell “Booty” Wood, Leon Comegys, Matthew Gee, trombones; Marshall Royal, Rubin Phillips, alto saxes; Wardell Gray, Lucky Thompson, tenor saxes; Charlie Fowlkes, baritone sax; Count Basie, piano; Freddie Green, guitar; Jimmy Lewis, bass; Gus Johnson, drums. 
Recorded in New York City, April 10, 1951

Tracks 2,3,4: 
Paul Campbell, Joe Newman, Charlie Shavers, Wendell Culley, trumpets; Henry Coker, Benny Powell, Jimmy Wilkins, trombones; Marshall Royal, clarinet & alto sax; Ernie Wilkins, alto & tenor sax; Floyd “Candy” Johnson, Paul Quinichette, tenor saxes; Charlie Fowlkes, baritone sax; Count Basie, piano; Freddie Green, guitar; Jimmy Lewis, bass; Gus Johnson, drums.
Recorded in New York City, January 19, 1952

Tracks 5,6: 
Omit Benny Powell, Jimmy Wilkins, Marshall Royal, Ernie Wilkins, Floyd “Candy” Johnson and Charlie Fowlkes on #5.
Recorded on January 25, 1952

Track 7: 
Reunald Jones, Joe Newman, Paul Campbell, Wendell Culley, trumpets; Johnny Mandel, bass trumpet; Henry Coker, Benny Powell, trombones; Marshall Royal, clarinet & alto sax; Ernie Wilkins, alto & tenor sax; Frank Wess, Frank Foster, tenor saxes; Charlie Fowlkes, baritone sax; Count Basie, piano; Freddie Green, guitar; Eddie Jones, bass; Gus Johnson, drums.
Recorded in Los Angeles, August 13, 1953

Track 8,9,10: 
Joe Wilder, trumpet & Henderson Chambers, trombone, replace Campbell & Mandel.
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City, December 12, 1953

Tracks 11,12: 
Thad Jones, trumpet, and Bill Hughes, trombone, replace Wilder and Chambers.
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City, August 16 1954

Tracks 13,14: 
Bill Hughes, replaces Basie on #13.
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City, August 17, 1954

Track 15,16: 
Bill Graham, alto sax, and Sonny Payne, drums, replace Wilkins and Johnson.
Recorded at Fine Sound Studios, New York City, January 5 & June 27, 1956

Tracks 17-24: 
Snooky Young, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Wendell Culley, trumpets; Henry Coker, Benny Powell, Al Grey, trombones; Marshall Royal, clarinet & alto sax; Frank Wess, flute, alto & tenor sax; Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Frank Foster, tenor saxes; Charlie Fowlkes, baritone sax; Count Basie, piano; Freddie Green, guitar; Eddie Jones, bass; Sonny Payne, drums.
Recorded in New York City, October 21 (#17-23) & 22 (#24), 1957


Personnel on CD 2

Tracks 1-3: 
Snooky Young, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Wendell Culley, trumpets; Henry Coker, Benny Powell, Al Grey, trombones; Marshall Royal, clarinet & alto sax; Frank Wess, flute, alto & tenor sax; Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Frank Foster, tenor saxes; Charlie Fowlkes, baritone sax; Count Basie, piano; Freddie Green, guitar; Eddie Jones, bass; Sonny Payne, drums.
Recorded in New York City, October 21 (#1) & 22 (#2,3), 1957

Tracks 4-14: 
Billy Mitchell, tenor sax replaces Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis.
Recorded in New York City, April 3 (#4-7), 4 (#8-10) & 14 (#11-14), 1958

Tracks 15-24: 
Thad Jones, Sonny Cohn, Al Aarons, Fip Ricard, Ernie Royal, trumpets; Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell, Benny Powell, trombones; Marshall Royal, alto sax & flute; Frank Wess, alto & tenor saxes, flute; Eric Dixon, tenor sax & flute; Frank Foster, tenor sax; Charlie Fowlkes, baritone sax & flute; Count Basie, piano; Freddie Green, guitar; Buddy Catlett, bass; Sonny Payne, drums.
Recorded in New York City, Nov. 2,3 & 5, 1962



Original recordings produced by Norman Granz (Clef and Verve on CD-1); Teddy Reig (Roulette)
and Jim Davis (Verve CD-2)

Original cover photos / designs by Arnold Meyers, Chuck Stewart, Roy Decarava

This compilation produced for CD by Jordi Pujol


Mono / Stereo · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered